Umbraeths
IRL Umbraeths are unique to Baolynn, therefore lack any Gaian etymology/mythology. Their name comes from Latin umbra and aether, which means "shadow ethereal". Their original designs and abilities were inspired by a mix of lynxes, lombaxes, and Nightcrawler. Later revisions turned to elves and long-eared jerboas. They also were almost reduced to three fingers, three toes, and two tails. I didn't to keep them looking- ah, terrestrial and not alien. In Baolynn Appearance They have pale to dark chocolate skin tones; blonde, brown, black, ginger hair colors; dark red, amber, green, blue, and purple eye colors. Their ears are long, black tipped with one large black dot and one smaller dot near the tip of their ears. If they're born in cold weather, the black tips will be furry. If they're born in warm weather, the black tips won't be furry. They have long tails with furry tufts on the end, digitigrade legs, and eyes with pale yellow scleras and slitted black pupils. Teleportation They have the natural ability to teleport at will, as long as they have enough mana. They're able to open portals into the astral plane and reappear where they want to in the physical plane within a matter of milliseconds. From onlookers, they appear and disappear into a puff of smoke the color of their totem. Anything in their touch comes with them. This includes clothes, objects, other beings, etc. It's always highly suggested by the umbraeths when teleporting to target above the ground and to curl into as tight of a ball as you can. Also, don't teleport anywhere out of sight. It's too dangerous. Stereotypes They're cannibalistic, crazy, and love torturing anyone who dwells too close to their home. Notable Examples * Yuci Tachibana * Narolina Chanhassen History & Culture Origins For a millennium, umbraethen origins had been unknown beyond folk tales and mythos. Anthropomorphic jerboa were thought to have never existed or went extinct. Social Other races view them as freaks and anomalies. This is solidified by umbraethen societies' bitterness towards other races. They view them as ignorant outsiders and because of this bitterness, what little knowledge other races have of them isn't always accurate nor positive. Age Umbraeths come of age at thirty-five and have an average lifespan of one hundred and forty. To convert a human age to a real age, you multiply it by 1.94, then round. Visa versa, but divide. Roughly, it's about one human year for every two real years. Here's some example ages: Afflictions Shapeshifting is a forbidden practice within umbraethen culture. Genderbending is less forbidden, as nobody is required to potentially die. It's only forbidden under the sheets of deceit. Historically, umbraethen spies have been known for genderbending in between teleports, becoming successful at disguises and covering their tracks. Honorifics Umbraeths don't refer to one another as mister or sir, for example. They use suffixes. * -Ilan is affectionate. It would be used for siblings and lovers. * -Ruug is friendly. It would be used for friends, close family, and occasionally co-workers. * -Mesh is polite. It would be used for co-workers, acquaintances, and strangers. * -Uvah is formal and respectful in a way unlike -mesh. It would be used for deities, leaders, and people you hold to high esteem. Misc * It's customary in an opposite-sex marriage for the husband to take up his wife's name. In a same-sex marriage, they choose who takes whose name. * It's customary not to dye your tail fur or cut it too short because it's seen as a big part of your spirit. Brushing and braiding each other's tail fur is seen as a great bonding experience for all identities. Trivia * The umbraethen honorifics are direct parallels of Japanese honorifics -chan, -kun, -san, and -sama.